Colorado Warns Residents Congress Is About to Let Children's Health Insurance Funding Run Out

Colorado has notified residents that the federally funded Children's Health Insurance Program will shut down in early 2018 if Congress doesn't act to renew funding that expired on Sept. 30; the state appears to be the first to formally make such an announcement. A state press release says its program has enough money to continue operating until Jan. 31 of next year.

The House passed a CHIP funding bill earlier this month, but it includes measures to finance the program by cutting other health spending that are unacceptable to Democrats in the Senate (recall that Senate Democrats retain some power because of the filibuster). The Senate has not yet scheduled a vote on its own version of a CHIP bill.